JAVASCRIPT is a widely used scripting language for creating web pages with dynamic functionality. JAVASCRIPT is typically provided in the form of a set of programmed instructions, such as in a file, object or other data structure. (For clarity, this data structure is hereinafter referred to as a “JAVASCRIPT file.”) JAVASCRIPT may be used to create numerous types of functionality on a web page. For example, a JAVASCRIPT file may describe functionality for validating data entry by a user to a form presented on the web page, such as by defining formats for input provided by the user to various fields on the form. The JAVASCRIPT file may describe the behavior of the page in response to user input, such as presenting an error message to a user when he or she enters data in a “password” field on the form in a format which does not match a standard format defined by the JAVASCRIPT file.
In general, instructions provided in a JAVASCRIPT file are executed by a browser program, such as in response to input provided by a user. For example, the browser may execute JAVASCRIPT instructions defining the behavior of an object on the page when the user navigates the cursor over the object, such as to change the appearance of the object on the page. JAVASCRIPT is a scripting language, meaning that it is not compiled for execution by the browser. Rather, the browser downloads instructions in source code form from a server and interprets the instructions to establish functions, create variables, etc.
JAVASCRIPT is conventionally provided by the server to the browser using one of two techniques. The first technique is to embed the JAVASCRIPT directly into the hypertext markup language (HTML) content that defines a web page, such that the HTML downloaded from the server includes JAVASCRIPT instructions indicated via one or more HTML tags. Another technique is to provide a reference within the HTML to a separate JAVASCRIPT file. When the browser executes the HTML, it requests the referenced JAVASCRIPT file from the server.
Generally, a JAVASCRIPT is prepared for “release” (i.e. dissemination to one or more requesting browsers) by a team of developers who prepare the release version of the file from one or more pre-release versions. For example, multiple pre-release files may be consolidated into a single release version file so that the browser need only download a single file, rather than multiple files. Debug instructions used to test certain error conditions may be removed from a pre-release version. In addition, multiple versions of a release file may be created, each having messages or other content which is customized for users in specific locales (e.g., so as to present an error message to Japanese users in Japanese), and/or perform other tasks.